Apparatus for disposal of yarn by liquid means

ABSTRACT

Yarn waste, which occurs when strands of yarn are transferred from full to empty spools along a line of winding machines, is directed into a plurality of evacuation tubes which transfer the waste into a moving stream of liquid. The liquid is circulated through a closed conduit having a strainer at one end thereof which captures the waste yarn and allows the liquid to continue circulating. In order to prevent yarn from accumulating in the conduit, the walls of the conduit may be continually washed with the liquid. In this way, yarn waste from a plurality of winding stations may be conveniently collected for subsequent disposal.

D United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,902,761 Pradier 1 Sept. 2, 1975 [54] APPARATUS FOR DISPOSAL OF YARN BY 2,412,403 l2/l946 Jackson ct a]. 57/345 LIQUID MEANS 2,43L726 l2/l947 BCChtlCl 57/345 2,511,928 6 1950 Mansfield ct al. 57/345 [75] Inventor: R ne Pr r, n l France 3,051.364 8/1962 Barnes ct al. 226 97 3.430.428 3/1969 Asami ct al 57/34 CP [73] Asslgnee' 3475891 11 1969 Matsuoka ct al. 57/34 CF France [22] Filed: Jan. 18, 1974 Primary Exami11er.lohn Petrakes I 1 pp NO: 434,406 Atlorney, Agent, or FlrmSherman & Shalloway [57] ABSTRACT Foreign Application Priority Data Yam waste, which occurs when strands of yarn are Jan. 24. 1973 France 73.03l0l transferred from full to empty spools along a line of May 1 l, 1973 France 73.17434 winding machines, is directed into a plurality of evacuation tubes which transfer the waste into a moving [52] US. Cl. 302/1; 57/345; 226/97; stream of liquid. The liquid is circulated through a 302/14 closed conduit having a strainer at one end thereof [5 l] Int. Cl B65h 54/86; B65g 53/00 which captures the waste yarn and allows the liquid to [58] Field of Search 57/345, 56, 34 CP; 302/1, continue circulating. In order to prevent yarn from ac- 302/l4-l6; 226/97; 425/215, 68, 70, 71 cumulating in the conduit, the walls of the conduit may be continually washed with the liquid. in this way, [56] References Cited yarn waste from a plurality of winding stations may be UNITED STATES PATENTS conveniently collected for subsequent disposal. 2,206,834 7/1940 Burkholder 57/345 l2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures K 12 12 12 12 l J JZJ' LJZJ LJL/L- 7A 71 14 18 PATH-NED SEP 2197 SHEET 1 [IF 3 PATENTEDSEP' 2 I975 SHEET 2 BF 3 FIG.3

Flli.4

APPARATUS FOR DISPOSAL OFXARN BY LIQUID BACKGROUND or THE lNVENTlbN 1. Field-of the, lnvention V j r A, V

The presentinvention relates to new and improved apparatus for disposing of waste material. More particularly, the present invention relates to new and .improved apparatus for disposing of strands of yarn .waste produced by a plurality of textile machines,.such as winding machines or the like. which may be or are operated simultaneously 2. Technical Considerations In the textile industry in general, especially where textiles are produced withsynthetic yarns, standard or automatic winding ma chines are positioned to, wind yarn on spools or. cylindrical tubes as the yarn is produced by spinning machines. As each tube or spool becomes full it is necessary to replace this tube or spool with an empty ,one. However, since it is not convenient to shut down the associated spinning machine after each spool is full, yarn is continually produced .while the transfer from an empty tube to a full tube is effected. Even though this transfer is effected almost immediately, considerable lengths of unwound yarn are produced which must be disposed of. This is usually accomplished by cn training the yarn in a stream of compressed air directed into a nozzle juxtaposed with the winding machine. v

One practice currently follow d inthe textile industry is to arrange a number of spinnerettes in a production line and to install a winding machine under'each spinnerette. Each ,winding machine will have as many winding stations as yarn extruded by the .s pinnerette. The winding stations of each winding machine may either have a common starting time or maybe started in staggered fashion from station to station. With either approach, the same cycle is followed foreach winding machine in the line as the winding machines are successively put into service. By using this approach, the yarn is transferred from empty tubes to full tubes successively from one winding machine to another- Accordingly, the number .of strands of yarn discarded should be. at least theoretically, equal to the number of strands extruded by the spinnerettes. However, because of the difficulty involved in winding each tube in an identical fashion, it is necessary to prepare for simultaneous discard of a number of yarn strands greater than the number of yarns for each winding machine as full tubes are replaced by empty tubes. Consequently, ina production line having ten spinnerettes, wherein each spinnerette cxtrudes four yarns. experience has shown that six yarns may have to be discarded or disposed of at the same time. Accordingly, it is present practice for each winding machine. or even each winding station, to have an individual exhaust, nozzle associated therewith to discard the waste yarn into a piping system. This being the case. it is in addition necessary to, provide some sort of system forcarrying away the waste produccd at each nozzle. i

In order to dispose of the wasteproduced at each nozzle. the prior art suggests that a rectilinear ,closed conduit could be disposed adjacenttothe line ofwinding machines to receive the. ,waste produccdby each nozzlev The yarn might then he removed from the con air turbulence. Finally, with this approach, if low pressure were utilized to move the waste yarn in order to avoid having to create a large vacuum, a blocking system would have to be utilized with each exhaust pipe which would open simultaneously with activation of the exhaust pipe. This approach would further increase the cost of such a system.

Another approach, perhaps suggested by the prior art, would be to use an endless belt placed near the winding machines on which the waste yarn would be deposited by the individual exhaust nozzles. The basic problem with this type of system is that the yarn waste could easily pile up on and overflow from the endless belt and possibly catch on and entangle in adjacent machinery. In addition, such a belt system would involve the usual maintenance problems encountered when uti lizing purely mechanical systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view ofthe afore-mentioned problems and difficulties .encountered in disposing of yarn waste, it is an object of the instant invention to provide new and improved-apparatus for disposing of yarn waste.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide new and improved apparatus for disposal of yarn waste produced by a line of textile machines.

It is still another object of the instant invention to providenew and improved apparatus for disposing of yarn waste accumulated by textile machines when yarn is transferred from full to empty winding spools.

It is an additional object of the instant invention to provide new and improved apparatus for disposing of yarnwaste produced by a line of textile machines in a continuous manner while accumulating the yarn at a single disposal station.

It is still another object of the instant invention to provide new and improved apparatus for disposing of yarn waste by entraining the yarn waste in a stream of moving fluid.

With these and other objects in mind, the instant invention contemplates apparatus in which yarn waste is directed into a conduit carrying a moving stream of liquid. The yarn waste is entrained by the moving stream of liquid andcarried to a filter or strainer which traps the yarn waste and allows the liquid to continue flowing. The liquid is then recirculated to pick up additional yarn waste. Preferably, the yarn waste is initially captured by streams of compressed air directed through expansion nozzles for injection into the flowing liquid. In this case, the upper surface of the conduit is provided with openings to allow the compressed air to escape as the yarn waste is picked up by the moving stream of liquid. In order to improve the efficiency of the apparatus, the invention in addition includes the concept of wetting the yarn with a curtain of liquid as the yarn exits from the nozzles. This causes the yarn to readily fall into the stream of moving fluid instead of perhaps being suspended by air currents in the conduit.

In order to prevent the yarn from adhering to the walls of the conduit, the invention also contemplates continually washing the walls with the circulating fluid to carry yarn juxtaposed thereto into the flowing fluid stream.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a general schematic view of an apparatus according to the present invention showing how yarn waste from a plurality of winding machines or winding stations is entrained in a stream of circulating fluid;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of an upper conduit portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing a pneumatic evacuation tube through which strands of yarn waste pass registered with the conduit;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 only showing the conduit equipped with a gutter for carrying liquid which is flowed down the conduit wall to keep yarn from adhering thereto;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing another embodiment in which perforated pipes are used to flow liquid down the walls of the conduit to prevent yarn from adhering thereto;

FIG. 5 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention, wherein tubes are provided for injecting a plurality of yarnsinto individual expansion tubes which then, in turn, entrain the waste yarn in a stream of compressed air and deposit the yarn in a conduit of circular cross-section; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 showing how yarn waste entering the circular conduit is wetted by a liquid curtain flowing from a perforated pipe positioned transversely in the conduit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an apparatus, designated generally by the numeral 1], for disposing of yarn waste. The yarn waste is produced in strand form by a plurality of winding machines 12l2, which are schematically represented and may each include one or more winding stations. In the illustrated embodiment, the winding machines are arranged in series with each winding machine having a pneumatic evacuation tube 13 associated therewith. The evacuation tubes 13I3 operate in a conventional manner by receiving therethrough streams of compressed air which entrain the yarn waste as the air expands in the tubes.

Generally, the waste is produced when it becomes necessary to transfer yarn from a full tube or spool (not shown) to an empty tube or spool (not shown). Since it is not convenient to shut down spinning machines (not shown) associated with the winding machines during the transfer of yarn, yarn will be continually produced while transfer takes places. The spinning machines produce yarn at a great rate so that even if the transfer from a full spool to an empty spool is accomplished automatically and quickly, considerable yarn waste will still be produced.

The pneumatic evacuation tubes 13 each register with a conduit 14 through which a liquid 15 flows to entrain the yarn waste as the yarn waste exits from the tubes 13. The conduit 14 is preferably made of stainless steel and is slightly inclined with relation to the horizontal so that the liquid I5 will flow in the direction of arrows I6 beneath the pneumatic evacuation tubes I3. At the downstream end of the conduit 14, a strainer 18 is positioned to capture yarn entrained in the fluid 15.

The strainer 18 retains and accumulates the yarn waste thereon. while the fluid l5 flows down a pipe 19 into a storage tank 20. The fluid 15 is then pumped back up to the upstream end of the conduit I4 by a pump 21 to again flow past the pneumatic evacuation tubes 13 and pick up additional yarn waste. If necessary, the tank 20 may have a filter associated therewith to collect any waste material which might perhaps slip past the strainer 18.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a crosssectional view of a conduit 14 in which the conduit 14 is shown supported on, for example, a factory floor 23 by legs 24. The conduit 14 has substantially vertical side walls 26 and a cover 27 positioned thereover and sealed thereto by gaskets 28. The cover 27 has ports 29 therein into which the pneumatic evacuation tubes 13 (only one of which is shown) project. As seen in FIG. 2, the inside diameter of the ports 29 is greater than the external diameter of the pneumatic evacuation tubes 13, to thereby provide a free space 3I through which the compressed air expanding through the tube I3 can escape. By providing a free space or opening 31 adjacent to the end of each pneumatic evacuation tube I3, the compressed air is allowed to exit from the conduit 14 without unduly disturbing the flowing liquid I5.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown means for preventing waste yarn from accumulating on the side walls 26 of the conduit 14. In FIG. 3, the conduit has a gutter 32 extending along each wall 26 which carries some of the liquid 15. Enough of the liquid 15 is pumped into the gutters 32 to cause the liquid to overflow and run down the sides 26. In FIG. 4, instead of using gutters, perforated pipes 34 are utilized. The perforated pipes 34 release a curtain of liquid 15 which washes down the walls 26 to prevent accumulation of any yarn waste thereon.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown another embodiment of the instant invention in which yarn waste produced by winding machines, such as l2-I2 as shown in FIG. 1, are directed into transport tubes 37-37. A plurality of transfer tubes 37-37 are directed into individual pneumatic evacuation tubes 38 through each of which a stream of compressed air is expanded. As each stream of compressed air is expanded, it creates a vacuum on the transport tubes 37 so as to draw the waste yarn into tubes 38. Each tube 38 is lined with and spaced from a funnel 39 which directs the waste yarn into an elbowed nozzle 41. Between the ends of the tubes 38 and the tops of the funnels 39, a gap 42 is disposed to allow the compressed air expanding down the tubes to escape. The yarn waste is carried by its own inertia and residual compressed air into the nozzle 41.

As the yarn waste emerges from the nozzle 41, it strikes a curtain of liquid 43 flowing out of perforated pipe 44, The curtain of liquid wets the yarn and carries the yarn into a stream of liquid 15 which is flowing ina circular conduit 46. In the preferred embodiment, the liquid 15 is circulated past a strainer, such as the strainer 18 shown in FIG. I, to trap and accumulate waste material suspended therein. The liquid I5 is then pumped back through a liquid supply pipe 48 into the circular conduit 46. In order to smooth delivery of the liquid past nozzles 41, baffle SI is positioned just downstream of the liquid supply pipe 5]. In order to facilitate flow of the liquid 15 in the conduit 46, the conduit may be inclined slightly with relation to horizontal, and

in order to facilitate formation of the curtain 43, the perforations in the pipe 44 may be inclined approximately with relation to the vertical.

EXAMPLE in practice, the device according to the present invention was utilized with four winding stations winding yarn having a count of 165 dtex that was spun at a rate of 3,000 m/min. The tubes or spools upon which the yarn was wound were changed every 2 hours. Under these conditions, 990 g of yarn waste were accumulated every 2 hours.

With the device represented by FIGS. 4 and 5, it was possible to dispose of 6 strands of yarn waste simultaneously carried away by compressed air at 5,000 m/min. Water was used as the transport liquid and was delivered to each conduit 46 at 34 l/min and through each pipe 44 at 8 l/min.

The apparatus according to the instant invention is suitable for all situations in which the production of waste is a problem, such as in the case of high speed winding. This apparatus may be used with yarns of all types, including continuous yarns and fiber thread yarns. The yarns may be made of natural fibers, artificial fibers, synthetic fibers, or glass fibers.

The afore-mentioned descriptions and examples are merely representative of embodiments of the instant invention, the scope of which should be limited only by the following appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for disposal of strands of material in the form of yarn waste produced by a plurality of textile machines comprising:

a conduit extending between said textile machines;

means for flowing liquid in said conduit past said tex tile machines;

means for directing yarn waste into said conduit to be entrained by and carried away by said liquid; means for arresting motion of the yarn waste while allowing the liquid to flow, to thereby accumulate the yarn waste in at least one location; and means for recirculating said liquid past said textile machines.

2. The apparatus of claim I, wherein said conduit and recirculating means comprise a closed loop.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit has side walls which are substantially vertical and has a cover with openings therein for receiving said directing means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for directing the yarn waste into the conduit includes a tube associated with each station through which air expands to capture and entrain the yarn waste.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein there is a space provided adjacent the downstream end of each tube for allowing the expanding air to escape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conduit has substantially vertical side walls and wherein means are included for flowing liquid down said side walls to prevent adherence of yarn to said side walls.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for flowing liquid down said side walls includes gutters extending along said side walls for carrying the liquid therein.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for flowing liquid down said side walls includes perforated pipes extending along said side walls having openings directed downwardly therefrom.

9. An apparatus for disposal of strands of material in the form of yarn waste produced by a plurality of textile machine stations comprising:

tube means extending from each of said stations to initially direct waste yarn away from said stations;

pneumatic means receiving a plurality of said directing tube means wherein said pneumatic means is a tube through which compressed air is expanded to entrain said yarn waste;

nozzle means aligned with and spaced from said pneumatic means for receiving yarn waste from said pneumatic means; conduit means receiving said nozzle means for entraining the yarn waste in liquid flowing therein from an upstream to a downstreamend; and

circulating means for circulating the liquid through the conduit means, wherein said circulating means includes a storage tank for storing the liquid, a pump means for pumping the liquid to the upstream end of said conduit means through a first pipe, and a second pipe connecting the downstream end to the liquid storage tank to complete a liquid circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said nozzle means directs the yarn waste to exit therefrom in a generally horizontal direction and wherein wetting means are positioned adjacent said nozzle means to provide a liquid curtain for wetting the yarn waste and causing the yarn waste to fall into the flowing liquid.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wetting means includes a perforated pipe with holes therein through which the liquid is projected to form said curtain.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the space between the pneumatic means and the nozzle means is defined by a funnel-shaped entry which is wider than the tube of the pneumatic means to allow lateral escape of 

1. An apparatus for disposal of strands of material in the form of yarn waste produced by a plurality of textile machines comprising: a conduit extending between said textile machines; means for flowing liquid in said conduit past said textile machines; means for directing yarn waste into said conduit to be entrained by and carried away by said liquid; means for arresting motion of the yarn waste while allowing the liquid to flow, to thereby accumulate the yarn waste in at least one location; and means for recirculating said liquid past said textile machines.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit and recirculating means comprise a closed loop.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit has side walls which are substantially vertical and has a cover with openings therein for receiving said directing means.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for directing the yarn waste into the conduit includes a tube associated with each station through which air expands to capture and entrain the yarn waste.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein there is a space provided adjacent the downstream end of each tube for allowing the expanding air to escape.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conduit has substantially vertical side walls and wherein means are included for flowing liquid down said side walls to prevent adherence of yarn to said side walls.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for flowing liquid down said side walls includes gutters extending along said side walls for carrying the liquid therein.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for flowing liquid down said side walls includes perforated pipes extending along said side walls having openings directed downwardly therefrom.
 9. An apparatus for disposal of strands of material in the form of yarn waste produced by a plurality of textile machine stations comprising: tube means extending from each of said stations to initially direct waste yarn away from said stations; pneumatic means receiving a plurality of said directing tube means wherein said pneumatic means is a tube through which compressed air is expanded to entrain said yarn waste; nozzle means aligned with and spaced from said pneumatic means for receiving yarn waste from said pneumatic means; conduit means receiving said nozzle means for entraining the yarn waste in liquid flowing therein from an upstream to a downstream end; and circulating means for circulating the liquid through the conduit means, wherein said circulating means includes a storage tank for storing the liquid, a pump means for pumping the liquid to the upstream end of said conduit means through a first pipe, and a second pipe connecting the downstream end to the liquid storage tank to complete a liquid circuit.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said nozzle means directs the yarn waste to exit therefrom in a generally horizontal direction and wherein wetting means are positioned adjacent said nozzle means to provide a liquid curtain for wetting the yarn waste and causing the yarn waste to fall into the flowing liquid.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wetting means includes a perforated pipe with holes therein through which the liquid is projected to form said curtain.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the space between the pneumatic means and the nozzle means is defined by a funnel-shaped entry which is wider than the tube of the pneumatic means to allow lateral escape of the compressed air. 